Eight years ago, this northern flood plain was the scene of the Taliban's last stand.

Now, it's the locus of a resurgent militancy in a region that is fast becoming a new front in the Afghan war - with troubling consequences for coalition supply lines and U.S. allies whose will to stay and fight is being tested by rising casualties.

Webmaster's Commentary:

The only people "winning" this war are the defense contractors and the drug dealers.